BAY CITY, MI — A local man charged with various sexual offenses against a Pinconning teen has to wait a few more months before his case is heard by a jury.

The trial of Joshua A. Kara, 25, was scheduled to begin with jury selection on Wednesday, May 29, but has been pushed back to Tuesday, July 16. Another alternate date has been set for Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill is to preside over the trial. Gill is presiding over another trial, that of Kason M. Weems, the day Kara’s was to commence. Weems, whom prosecutors say drove his mother’s car into a crowd of people following the Bay City Fireworks Festival, was charged prior to Kara, giving his case precedence.

Kara is charged with single counts of first-, second- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. The first-degree charge is punishable by up to life imprisonment.

According to court records, in the early morning of Sept. 15, a Pinconning woman awoke to a pounding on her door. The woman recognized the visitor as her daughter’s 13-year-old friend.

The teen was crying and told her friend’s mother that Kara, her mother’s boyfriend, had just sexually assaulted her, court records show.

The woman called 911 and Bay County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. The girl told deputies she was awakened in bed to Kara lying beside her, fondling her and taking off her clothes. The girl left the room and ran to her friend’s house, court records show.

Deputies went to the teen’s house and spoke with her mother. The mom told deputies she and Kara had been at a local bar and arrived home around midnight. She fell asleep shortly thereafter and didn’t wake up until another of her daughters told her police were at the door, she said.

Kara was sleeping when deputies arrived. They woke him up and told him of the teen’s claims, their reports show.

Kara said he gave the teen a hug goodnight after arriving home from the bar, but denied doing anything inappropriate, saying he was at a loss for words.

Bay City attorney Matthew L. Reyes is representing Kara. Reyes has said that Kara has steadfastly maintained his innocence.

“He’s disappointed he’s been accused of this crime,” Reyes previously said, “but he’s looking forward to this all airing out and being absolved, and in the end he knows he’ll be found not guilty.”